Fossils Reveal Earth’s Earliest Right-Handed Creature
A newly published analysis of Spriggina floundersi fossils sheds light on directional preference more than 550 million years ago. These wormlike animals from the Ediacaran Period left curved imprints in South Australian rocks, showing a clear bias toward bending to the right. Researchers examined over 100 specimens and ruled out external forces like currents or drying as causes of their curvature. Instead, the consistent leftward curves in the fossils indicate true “handedness,” suggesting that Spriggina could move independently and favored one side—a behavior linked to having a nervous system and muscles. This discovery pushes back the origin of lateral preference to the dawn of animal life. Modern studies of humans, primates, and other animals show similar right-side biases, hinting at an evolutionary link that began with these ancient sea dwellers.
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